Educational Projects in Museums and Galleries: DfEE Funding

Lord Freyberg: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What has been the total amount spent through the Department for Education and Employment since 1997 on new funding initiatives which have directly funded additional educational projects in art galleries without collections, including those in art centres.

Baroness Blackstone: I refer the noble Lord to the reply given to him on 2 January 2001, Official Report, col WA 106-07. We do not account for funding on educational projects in museums or art galleries according to the nature of the institutions being funded. Projects are chosen on the basis of the impact they will have on pupil outcomes.
	The main objectives of the museum and galleries education programme are to stimulate and encourage museums and galleries to develop their educational role by strengthening their links with schools, and to improve the quality and spread of provision. The programme also looks to improve pupils' use of the opportunities presented by museums and galleries, in particular by experiencing real objects relevant to their studies.
	The department received approximately 300 bids for funding from a wide range of museums and galleries when the programme was announced.

Channel Tunnel

Lord Orme: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they have any plans to commission an official history of the Channel Tunnel.

Baroness Jay of Paddington: The Prime Minister has appointed Dr Terence R Gourvish, Director of the Business History Unit of the London School of Economics and Political Science, as an official historian to write the official history of the Channel Tunnel.

Inland Bathing Waters

Lord Hanningfield: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What plans they have to increase the designation of inland bathing waters.

Lord Whitty: The Government have identified 11 inland bathing waters in the UK under the Bathing Water Directive. We keep this matter under review and if any sites are brought to our attention as potential inland bathing waters, we shall consider them against the identification criteria in the directive.

A406: Litter Clearance

Lord Marlesford: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	When litter was last cleared from the A406 trunk road between the A12 and the M11; and whether they are satisfied with the ways in which contractors to the Highways Agency are fulfilling their contract for litter clearance on this road.

Lord Whitty: The A406 between the A12 and the M11 is no longer a trunk road as it now forms part of the Transport for London Road Network (TLRN). However, the responsibility for litter clearance lies with the local authority, the London Borough of Redbridge, under the Environmental Protection Act 1990.

Greater London: Cycle Accidents

Lord Hoyle: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	How many cycle accidents occurred in the Greater London area in each of the last four years for which statistics are available; and how many in each year involved fatalities.

Lord Whitty: The following table shows the number of accidents involving pedal cycles in the Greater London area for the years 1996-99, and the number that involved fatalities for the same period.
	
		
			  Year of Accident 
			  1996 1997 1998 1999 
			 All accidents involving pedal  cyclists 4,419 4,482 4,357 4,246 
			 Fatal accidents involving pedal  cyclists 20 14 12 10

Asylum Seekers

Lord Hylton: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	How many asylum seekers living in London or the Home Counties have been required in recent months to travel for interviews at offices in the North of England.

Lord Bassam of Brighton: In an eight-week period, 18 December 2000 to 9 February 2001, out of 7,478 applicants substantively interviewed in Liverpool and Leeds, 6,427 (86 per cent) were from London and the Home Counties.
	During the same period 671 asylum screening interviews were also completed in Liverpool and Leeds. Information is not available to identify what proportion of applicants who attended for screening were from London and the Home Counties.

Depleted Uranium: Screening Programme

Lord Acton: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What progress has been made with work to identify a voluntary screening programme for Service personnel and civilians who have served in the Balkans and who are concerned about exposure to depleted uranium.

Lord Burlison: The first phase of work to identify a screening programme, which we intend should be equally applicable to Gulf veterans as to those who have served in the Balkans, has been completed. We published yesterday a consultative document setting out the technical issues associated with such a programme, inviting advice and comment in particular from a wide range of expert bodies. A copy of the consultative document is being placed in the Library of the House, and it will also be available on the MoD Internet web-site.
	The next step in our work is to develop firm proposals for screening taking into account the advice and comments we receive in response to the consultative document. Those proposals in turn will be the subject of wide consultation.

BBC Producers' Guidelines onPolitical Impartiality

Lord Lloyd-Webber: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether the coverage of the resignation of the Northern Ireland Secretary on "Newsnight" (BBC2, Wednesday 24th January) which featured only supporters of the Labour Party and the Government and with no response from members of the Opposition fell within the BBC Producers' Guidelines on political impartiality.

Lord McIntosh of Haringey: Responsibility for ensuring that the activities of the BBC are carried out in accordance with the requirements of the charter and agreement rests with the BBC's board of governors and not the Government.

English Heritage: Archaeology Budget

Lord Renfrew of Kaimsthorn: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Why the archaeology budget of English Heritage has been reduced in both cash and real terms since 1990-91, so that it is now in real terms approximately 55 per cent of the budget in 1990-91.

Lord McIntosh of Haringey: It is for English Heritage to decide what priority to give expenditure on archaeology commissions from the overall resources available to it from government grant in aid and from its own fund-raising activities.
	In so doing it will take into account external conditions such as the impact of Planning Policy Guidance 16, which is now bringing in an estimated £20-£30 million of developers' expenditure a year on archaeological work, formerly funded entirely from English Heritage's Archaeology Commission budget.

English Heritage: Archaeology Budget

Lord Renfrew of Kaimsthorn: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What action they propose to take in response to the report of the statutory advisory committee with responsibility for archaeology (the Ancient Monuments Advisory Committee) to English Heritage that funding is insufficient to enable English Heritage to undertake its statutory responsibilities.

Lord McIntosh of Haringey: My right honourable friend the Minister for the Arts regularly meets the chairman and chief executive of English Heritage to consider English Heritage's plans for the implementation of its various responsibilities.

Independent Football Commission

Lord Faulkner of Worcester: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Why it was considered necessary for a firm of external consultants to be appointed in the search for the chairman of the Independent Football Commission; and what will be the cost to public funds of so doing.

Lord McIntosh of Haringey: My right honourable friend, the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, has agreed to the request from the football authorities to appoint the first chairman of the Independent Football Commission--the new self-regulatory body which they are establishing. In so doing, he has made clear that the process of appointing the chairman is conducted in an open and transparent manner according to the standards that would apply to a public appointment. Therefore an independent public appointments advisory panel was convened to consider the applications which had been received by the department for this post.
	While the panel considered a number of the applicants would be suitable for appointment to the post, the panel concluded that it would like to test the applicants against other strong candidates before reaching firm conclusions on a short list of names to recommend for appointment. The panel recommended a further exercise to generate applications and suggested that employing external consultants might make a useful contribution to that exercise. The Government therefore approached the Football Association who confirmed that the football authorities would be willing to pay the costs of consultants. There will therefore be no cost to public funds from the use of consultants. Any applications for the post of IFC chairman, which are received following approaches from consultants, will be considered by the panel on equal terms with those already received.

Winter Fuel Payments

Lord Morris of Manchester: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What representations they have had from Disability Now in relation to winter fuel payments to severely disabled people under the age of 60; what reply they are sending; and whether they will be taking any action.

Baroness Hollis of Heigham: The Secretary of State received a letter from the editor of Disability Now, dated 19 December. A reply was sent on 30 January.
	The letter urged the Government to extend the winter fuel payment scheme to severely disabled people under 60 who are receiving the middle or higher rate of the disability living allowance care component, or the higher rate of the mobility component.
	Winter fuel payments were introduced as part of our commitment to alleviate fuel poverty by providing help to older households towards their winter fuel bills. Information from the 1996-97 English Housing Conditions Survey shows that around 50 per cent of all fuel-poor households contain someone aged 60 or over.
	For younger disabled people, disability living allowance provides a contribution towards the extra costs associated with disability. The care and mobility needs entitlement criteria to the benefit are used as broad indicators of all the extra costs, including heating costs, that a disabled person may have. The disability premium in income-related benefits is paid in recognition that the poorest disabled people need additional help. Disabled people are free to use either of these benefits to pay for additional heating costs.

Mr Panicos Tsiakourmas

Lord Judd: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What action they have taken to secure the well-being and release of the Greek Cypriot Panicos Tsiakourmas who was abducted by allegedly Turkish troops in the British Sovereign Area territory of Cyprus on 12 December 2000.

Baroness Scotland of Asthal: The Foreign Secretary has written to both Mr Denktash and Turkish Foreign Minister Cem about the circumstances of Mr Tsiakourmas' arrest and emphasising the importance we attach to this very serious matter. Our High Commissioner in Nicosia has also made strong and regular representations to Mr Denktash. Our concerns have also been raised on several occasions with the Turkish authorities in Nicosia, Ankara and London. We will continue to raise the issue until it is resolved satisfactorily.

Harare: Press Freedom

The Earl of Northesk: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	In the context of the bombing of the printing presses of the Daily News, Harare, to what extent they believe that freedom of the press is a bulwark and precondition of democracy.

Baroness Scotland of Asthal: A free and independent press is a vital element in the maintenance of democracy, human rights and respect for the rule of law in any country. HMG condemn the attack on the Daily News in Harare. The UK and the EU have called on the Government of Zimbabwe to bring the culprits to justice and to reaffirm its obligations to respect freedom of expression.

Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group: Mandate

Lord Avebury: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether, as members of the Commonwealth High Level Review Group, they will seek to ensure that the group recommends to the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Brisbane in October 2001 that the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group's mandate should be extended to cover states where, in the opinion of the CMAG, there is a threat to freedom of expression.

Baroness Scotland of Asthal: The Government believe that the right to freedom of expression should be one of the Commonwealth's core values. We will continue to seek to ensure that the High Level Review Group recommends to Commonwealth Heads of Government at their meeting in Brisbane in 2001 that the mandate of the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group is expanded to cover serious violations of that right.

Magistrates' Courts

Lord Marlesford: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they will publish a table in the Official Report to show, by each county in England and Wales, the location of each courthouse for use by magistrates available on 30th September 1995 and on 1st January 2001.

Lord Bach: The information in the table is by Magistrates' Courts Committee area. The data in the column headed "Open as at 1/1/01" has been assembled from courthouse usage returns up to December 2000, not from a specific survey of courthouses, and is subject to confirmation on the next survey.
	
		Location of Magistrates' Courts
		
			 MCC Courthouse Open as at 30/9/95 Open as at 1/1/01 
			 Avon Bath 
			 Avon Bristol 
			 Avon Flax Bourton 
			 Avon Weston super Mare 
			 Avon Yale 
			 Avon  5 5 
			 Barking & Dagenham Barking (East Street) 
			 Barking & Dagenham Barking (North Street) 
			 Barking & Dagenham  2 2 
			 Barnet Barnet 
			 Barnet Hendon 
			 Barnet  2 2 
			 Barnsley Barnsley 
			 Barnsley  1 1 
			 Bedfordshire Ampthill  closed 
			 Bedfordshire Bedford 
			 Bedfordshire Biggleswade  closed 
			 Bedfordshire Dunstable  closed 
			 Bedfordshire Leighton Buzzard  closed 
			 Bedfordshire Luton 
			 Bedfordshire  6 2 
			 Bexley Bexley 
			 Bexley  1 1 
			 Brent Brent 
			 Brent  1 1 
			 Bromley Bromley (London Road) not yet open 
			 Bromley Bromley (South Street)  closed 
			 Bromley  1 1 
			 Calderdale Halifax 
			 Calderdale  1 1 
			 Cambridgeshire Cambridge 
			 Cambridgeshire Ely 
			 Cambridgeshire Huntingdon 
			 Cambridgeshire March  closed 
			 Cambridgeshire Peterborough 
			 Cambridgeshire Wisbech 
			 Cambridgeshire  6 5 
			 Cheshire Chester 
			 Cheshire Crewe 
			 Cheshire Ellesmere Port  closed 
			 Cheshire Macclesfield (Hibel Rd) 
			 Cheshire Macclesfield (Park Green) 
			 Cheshire Northwich 
			 Cheshire Runcorn 
			 Cheshire Warrington (Arpley Street) 
			 Cheshire Warrington (Patten Hall) 
			 Cheshire Widnes 
			 Cheshire  10 9 
			 City of London City of London 
			 City of London  1 1 
			 Cleveland Guisborough 
			 Cleveland Hartlepool 
			 Cleveland Middlesbrough 
			 Cleveland  3 3 
			 Croydon Croydon 
			 Croydon  1 1 
			 Cumbria Appleby  closed 
			 Cumbria Barrow in Furness 
			 Cumbria Carlisle 
			 Cumbria Kendal 
			 Cumbria Keswick  closed 
			 Cumbria Penrith 
			 Cumbria Whitehaven 
			 Cumbria Wigton  closed 
			 Cumbria Windemere  closed 
			 Cumbria Workington 
			 Cumbria  10 6 
			 Derbyshire Alfreton 
			 Derbyshire Ashbourne 
			 Derbyshire Bakewell 
			 Derbyshire Buxton 
			 Derbyshire Chesterfield (Brimington Rd) 
			 Derbyshire Chesterfield (West Bars) 
			 Derbyshire Derby (Bold Lane) 
			 Derbyshire Derby (Derwent St) 
			 Derbyshire Derby (Derwent Street) 
			 Derbyshire Derby (Swadlincote) 
			 Derbyshire Glossop 
			 Derbyshire Ikeston 
			 Derbyshire Matlock 
			 Derbyshire  13 13 
			 Devon & Cornwall Axminster 
			 Devon & Cornwall Barnstaple 
			 Devon & Cornwall Bideford 
			 Devon & Cornwall Bodmin 
			 Devon & Cornwall Camborne 
			 Devon & Cornwall Cullompton 
			 Devon & Cornwall Exeter 
			 Devon & Cornwall Exmouth 
			 Devon & Cornwall Honiton 
			 Devon & Cornwall Isles of Scilly 
			 Devon & Cornwall Kingsbridge 
			 Devon & Cornwall Launceston 
			 Devon & Cornwall Liskeard 
			 Devon & Cornwall Newquay 
			 Devon & Cornwall Newton Abbot 
			 Devon & Cornwall Okehampton 
			 Devon & Cornwall Penzance 
			 Devon & Cornwall Plymouth 
			 Devon & Cornwall South Molton 
			 Devon & Cornwall Tavistock 
			 Devon & Cornwall Teignmouth 
			 Devon & Cornwall Tiverton 
			 Devon & Cornwall Torquay 
			 Devon & Cornwall Totnes 
			 Devon & Cornwall Truro 
			 Devon & Cornwall  25 25 
			 Doncaster Doncaster 
			 Doncaster Thorne  closed 
			 Doncaster  2 1 
			 Dorset Blandford 
			 Dorset Bournemouth 
			 Dorset Bridport 
			 Dorset Christchurch  closed 
			 Dorset Dorchester 
			 Dorset Gillingham 
			 Dorset Poole 
			 Dorset Sherborne 
			 Dorset Wareham 
			 Dorset Weymouth 
			 Dorset Wimborne 
			 Dorset  11 10 
			 Durham Barnard Castle  closed 
			 Durham Bishop Auckland 
			 Durham Chester le Street 
			 Durham Consett 
			 Durham Darlington 
			 Durham Durham 
			 Durham Newton Aycliffe 
			 Durham Peterlee 
			 Durham Seaham  closed 
			 Durham  9 7 
			 Dyfed Aberystwyth 
			 Dyfed Ammanford 
			 Dyfed Cardigan 
			 Dyfed Carmarthen 
			 Dyfed Haverfordwest 
			 Dyfed Lampeter 
			 Dyfed Llandovery 
			 Dyfed Llanelli 
			 Dyfed Pembroke  closed 
			 Dyfed Tenby 
			 Dyfed  10 9 
			 Ealing Acton 
			 Ealing Ealing 
			 Ealing  2 2 
			 East Sussex Brighton 
			 East Sussex Eastbourne 
			 East Sussex Hastings 
			 East Sussex Lewes 
			 East Sussex  4 4 
			 Enfield Enfield 
			 Enfield  1 1 
			 Essex Basildon 
			 Essex Braintree  closed 
			 Essex Chelmsford 
			 Essex Clacton on Sea  closed 
			 Essex Colchester (Stanwell House) 
			 Essex Colchester (Town Hall) 
			 Essex Epping 
			 Essex Grays 
			 Essex Halstead  closed 
			 Essex Harlow 
			 Essex Harwich 
			 Essex Saffron Walden  closed 
			 Essex Southend on Sea 
			 Essex Witham 
			 Essex  14 10 
			 Gateshead Blaydon 
			 Gateshead Gateshead 
			 Gateshead  2 2 
			 Gloucestershire Cheltenham 
			 Gloucestershire Cirencester 
			 Gloucestershire Coleford 
			 Gloucestershire Dursley 
			 Gloucestershire Gloucester 
			 Gloucestershire Stow on the Wold 
			 Gloucestershire Stroud 
			 Gloucestershire Tewkesbury 
			 Gloucestershire Whitminster  closed 
			 Gloucestershire  9 8 
			 Gwent Abergavenny 
			 Gwent Abertillery 
			 Gwent Bargoed  closed 
			 Gwent Blackwood 
			 Gwent Caerphilly 
			 Gwent Chepstow 
			 Gwent Cwnbran 
			 Gwent Monmouth  closed 
			 Gwent Newport (Civic Centre) 
			 Gwent Newport (Pentonville) 
			 Gwent Pontlottyn  closed 
			 Gwent Pontypool  closed 
			 Gwent Tredegar 
			 Gwent  13 9 
			 Hampshire Aldershot 
			 Hampshire Alton 
			 Hampshire Andover 
			 Hampshire Basingstoke 
			 Hampshire Eastleigh 
			 Hampshire Fareham 
			 Hampshire Havant 
			 Hampshire Lyndhurst 
			 Hampshire Portsmouth 
			 Hampshire Southampton 
			 Hampshire  10 10 
			 Haringey Enfield 
			 Haringey Highgate 
			 Haringey  2 2 
			 Harrow Harrow 
			 Harrow  1 1 
			 Havering Romford 
			 Havering  1 1 
			 Hereford & Worcester Bromsgrove  closed 
			 Hereford & Worcester Droitwich 
			 Hereford & Worcester Evesham 
			 Hereford & Worcester Hereford 
			 Hereford & Worcester Kidderminster 
			 Hereford & Worcester Ledbury  closed 
			 Hereford & Worcester Leominster 
			 Hereford & Worcester Redditch 
			 Hereford & Worcester Worcester 
			 Hereford & Worcester  9 7 
			 Hertfordshire Bishop's Stortford  closed 
			 Hertfordshire Cheshunt   
			 Hertfordshire Hatfield  closed 
			 Hertfordshire Hemel Hempstead   
			 Hertfordshire Hertford   
			 Hertfordshire Hitchin  closed 
			 Hertfordshire St. Albans   
			 Hertfordshire Stevenage   
			 Hertfordshire Watford   
			 Hertfordshire  9 6 
			 Hillingdon Uxbridge   
			 Hillingdon  1 1 
			 Hounslow Brentford   
			 Hounslow Feltham   
			 Hounslow  2 2 
			 Humberside Bridlington   
			 Humberside Brough   
			 Humberside Driffield   
			 Humberside Goole   
			 Humberside Grimsby   
			 Humberside Hornsea  closed 
			 Humberside Howden  closed 
			 Humberside Hull (Guildhall)   
			 Humberside Hull (Lowgate)   
			 Humberside Market Weighton  closed 
			 Humberside Pocklington   
			 Humberside Scunthorpe   
			 Humberside Withernsea   
			 Humberside  13 10 
			 Inner London Balham   
			 Inner London Belmarsh   
			 Inner London Bow Street   
			 Inner London Camberwell Green   
			 Inner London Clerkenwell  closed 
			 Inner London Greenwich   
			 Inner London Hampstead  closed 
			 Inner London Highbury Corner   
			 Inner London Horseferry Road   
			 Inner London Marlborough Street  closed 
			 Inner London Marylebone (181 Marylebone Rd)   
			 Inner London Marylebone (185 Marylebone Rd)  closed 
			 Inner London Old Street  closed 
			 Inner London Seymour Place  closed 
			 Inner London South Western   
			 Inner London Thames   
			 Inner London Tower Bridge   
			 Inner London Wells Street   
			 Inner London West London   
			 Inner London Woolwich   
			 Inner London  20 14 
			 Isle of Wight Newport   
			 Isle of Wight  1 1 
			 Kent Ashford   
			 Kent Canterbury   
			 Kent Chatham   
			 Kent Dartford   
			 Kent Dover   
			 Kent Folkestone   
			 Kent Gravesham  closed 
			 Kent Maidstone   
			 Kent Margate   
			 Kent Sevenoaks   
			 Kent Sheerness  closed 
			 Kent Sittingbourne   
			 Kent Tonbridge  closed 
			 Kent Tunbridge Wells   
			 Kent West Malling  closed 
			 Kent  15 11 
			 Kingston upon Thames Kingston upon Thames   
			 Kingston upon Thames  1 1 
			 Lancashire Accrington   
			 Lancashire Blackburn   
			 Lancashire Blackpool   
			 Lancashire Burnley   
			 Lancashire Chorley   
			 Lancashire Fleetwood   
			 Lancashire Lancaster   
			 Lancashire Leyland   
			 Lancashire Lytham  closed 
			 Lancashire Ormskirk   
			 Lancashire Preston   
			 Lancashire Reedley   
			 Lancashire Rossendale   
			 Lancashire  13 12 
			 Leeds Leeds   
			 Leeds Morley  closed 
			 Leeds Otley  closed 
			 Leeds Pudsey  closed 
			 Leeds Wetherby   
			 Leeds  5 2 
			 Leicestershire Coalville   
			 Leicestershire Hinckley   
			 Leicestershire Leicester   
			 Leicestershire Loughborough   
			 Leicestershire Lutterworth  closed 
			 Leicestershire Market Harborough   
			 Leicestershire Melton Mowbray   
			 Leicestershire Rutland   
			 Leicestershire  8 7 
			 Lincolnshire Boston   
			 Lincolnshire Bourne   
			 Lincolnshire Caistor   
			 Lincolnshire Gainsborough   
			 Lincolnshire Grantham   
			 Lincolnshire Horncastle   
			 Lincolnshire Lincoln   
			 Lincolnshire Long Sutton   
			 Lincolnshire Louth   
			 Lincolnshire Market Rasen  closed 
			 Lincolnshire Skegness   
			 Lincolnshire Sleaford   
			 Lincolnshire Spalding   
			 Lincolnshire Stamford   
			 Lincolnshire  14 13 
			 Manchester Manchester   
			 Manchester  1 1 
			 Merseyside Birkenhead   
			 Merseyside Bootle   
			 Merseyside Knowsley   
			 Merseyside Liverpool (Crosshall St) 
			 Merseyside Liverpool (Crown & Jerome Bldgs)   
			 Merseyside Liverpool (Dale St)   
			 Merseyside Southport   
			 Merseyside St Helens   
			 Merseyside Wallasey   
			 Merseyside  9 9 
			 Merton Wimbledon   
			 Merton  1 1 
			 Newcastle Upon Tyne Gosforth   
			 Newcastle Upon Tyne Newcastle Upon Tyne   
			 Newcastle Upon Tyne  2 2 
			 Newham Stratford   
			 Newham  1 1 
			 Norfolk Cromer   
			 Norfolk Diss  closed 
			 Norfolk East Dereham  closed 
			 Norfolk Fakenham   
			 Norfolk Great Yarmouth   
			 Norfolk Hunstanton  closed 
			 Norfolk King's Lynn   
			 Norfolk Norwich   
			 Norfolk Swaffham   
			 Norfolk Thetford   
			 Norfolk  10 7 
			 North & West Manchester Bolton   
			 North & West Manchester Bury   
			 North & West Manchester Leigh   
			 North & West Manchester Middleton   
			 North & West Manchester Rochdale   
			 North & West Manchester Salford   
			 North & West Manchester Wigan   
			 North & West Manchester  7 7 
			 North Tyneside North Shields   
			 North Tyneside  1 1 
			 North Wales Abergele   
			 North Wales Amlwch  closed 
			 North Wales Bala  closed 
			 North Wales Bangor   
			 North Wales Blaenau Festiniog  closed 
			 North Wales Caernarfon   
			 North Wales Corwen  closed 
			 North Wales Denbigh   
			 North Wales Dolgellau   
			 North Wales Flint   
			 North Wales Holyhead   
			 North Wales Llandudno   
			 North Wales Llangefni   
			 North Wales Llangollen  closed 
			 North Wales Mold   
			 North Wales Prestatyn   
			 North Wales Pwlheli   
			 North Wales Tywyn  closed 
			 North Wales Wrexham   
			 North Wales  19 13 
			 North Yorkshire Bedale  closed 
			 North Yorkshire Easingwold  closed 
			 North Yorkshire Harrogate   
			 North Yorkshire Ingleton  closed 
			 North Yorkshire Leyburn  closed 
			 North Yorkshire Malton  closed 
			 North Yorkshire Northallerton   
			 North Yorkshire Pickering   
			 North Yorkshire Richmond   
			 North Yorkshire Ripon  closed 
			 North Yorkshire Scarborough   
			 North Yorkshire Selby   
			 North Yorkshire Skipton   
			 North Yorkshire Stokesley  closed 
			 North Yorkshire Thirsk  closed 
			 North Yorkshire Whitby   
			 North Yorkshire York   
			 North Yorkshire  17 9 
			 Northamptonshire Corby   
			 Northamptonshire Daventry   
			 Northamptonshire Kettering   
			 Northamptonshire Northampton   
			 Northamptonshire Towcester   
			 Northamptonshire Wellingborough   
			 Northamptonshire  6 6 
			 Northumberland Alnwick   
			 Northumberland Bedlington   
			 Northumberland Berwick upon Tweed   
			 Northumberland Hexham   
			 Northumberland  4 4 
			 Nottinghamshire Mansfield (Commercial St)  closed 
			 Nottinghamshire Mansfield (Rosemary St) not yet open  
			 Nottinghamshire Newark   
			 Nottinghamshire Nottingham (Carrington St) not yet open  
			 Nottinghamshire Nottingham (Guildhall)  closed 
			 Nottinghamshire Nottingham (Sand Field House)  closed 
			 Nottinghamshire Retford   
			 Nottinghamshire Worksop   
			 Nottinghamshire  6 5 
			 Oldham Oldham   
			 Oldham  1 1 
			 Powys Brecon   
			 Powys Llandrindod Wells   
			 Powys Machynlleth   
			 Powys Newtown   
			 Powys Ystradgynlais   
			 Powys  5 5 
			 Redbridge Redbridge   
			 Redbridge  1 1 
			 Richmond upon Thames Richmond upon Thames   
			 Richmond upon Thames  1 1 
			 Rotherham Rotherham   
			 Rotherham  1 1 
			 Sheffield Shefield   
			 Sheffield  1 1 
			 Shropshire Bridgnorth   
			 Shropshire Ludlow   
			 Shropshire Market Drayton   
			 Shropshire Oswestry   
			 Shropshire Shrewsbury   
			 Shropshire Telford   
			 Shropshire Whitchurch   
			 Shropshire  7 7 
			 Somerset Bridgwater   
			 Somerset Frome   
			 Somerset Minehead   
			 Somerset Taunton 
			 Somerset Wells   
			 Somerset Yeovil   
			 Somerset  6 6 
			 South Tyneside Hebburn  closed 
			 South Tyneside South Shields (Kepple Street)  closed 
			 South Tyneside South Shields (Millbank) not yet open  
			 South Tyneside  2 1 
			 South Wales Aberdare   
			 South Wales Barry   
			 South Wales Bridgend   
			 South Wales Cardiff   
			 South Wales Llantrisant   
			 South Wales Merthyr Tydfil   
			 South Wales Pontypridd   
			 South Wales Rhondda   
			 South Wales  8 8 
			 Staffordshire Biddulph  closed 
			 Staffordshire Burton upon Trent   
			 Staffordshire Cannock   
			 Staffordshire Cheadle  closed 
			 Staffordshire Kidsgrove  closed 
			 Staffordshire Leek   
			 Staffordshire Lichfield  closed 
			 Staffordshire Newcastle under Lyme   
			 Staffordshire Rugeley   
			 Staffordshire Stafford   
			 Staffordshire Stoke on Trent   
			 Staffordshire Tamworth   
			 Staffordshire Wombourne   
			 Staffordshire  13 9 
			 Stockport Stockport   
			 Stockport  1 1 
			 Suffolk Bury St Edmunds   
			 Suffolk Felixstowe  closed 
			 Suffolk Haverhill  closed 
			 Suffolk Ipswich   
			 Suffolk Lowestoft   
			 Suffolk Mildenhall   
			 Suffolk Newmarket  closed 
			 Suffolk Saxmundham  closed 
			 Suffolk Stowmarket  closed 
			 Suffolk Sudbury   
			 Suffolk  10 5 
			 Sunderland Houghton le Spring   
			 Sunderland Sunderland   
			 Sunderland  2 2 
			 Surrey Camberley   
			 Surrey Chertsey  closed 
			 Surrey Dorking   
			 Surrey Epsom   
			 Surrey Farnham  closed 
			 Surrey Guildford   
			 Surrey Oxted  closed 
			 Surrey Redhill   
			 Surrey Staines   
			 Surrey Woking   
			 Surrey  10 7 
			 Sutton Sutton   
			 Sutton  1 1 
			 Tameside Ashton under Lyne (Henry Sq) not yet open  
			 Tameside Ashton under Lyne (Manchester Rd)  closed 
			 Tameside Duckinsfield  closed 
			 Tameside  2 1 
			 Thames Valley Abingdon  closed 
			 Thames Valley Amersham   
			 Thames Valley Aylesbury   
			 Thames Valley Banbury   
			 Thames Valley Beaconsfield   
			 Thames Valley Bicester   
			 Thames Valley Bracknell   
			 Thames Valley Buckingham   
			 Thames Valley Didcot   
			 Thames Valley Henley on Thames  closed 
			 Thames Valley Maidenhead   
			 Thames Valley Milton Keynes   
			 Thames Valley Newbury   
			 Thames Valley Oxford   
			 Thames Valley Reading   
			 Thames Valley Slough   
			 Thames Valley Thame   
			 Thames Valley Wantage   
			 Thames Valley Windsor  closed 
			 Thames Valley Witney   
			 Thames Valley Wycombe   
			 Thames Valley  21 18 
			 Trafford Sale   
			 Trafford  1 1 
			 Waltham Forest Waltham Forest   
			 Waltham Forest  1 1 
			 Warwickshire Atherstone   
			 Warwickshire Leamington Spa   
			 Warwickshire Nuneaton   
			 Warwickshire Rugby   
			 Warwickshire Stratford upon Avon   
			 Warwickshire  5 5 
			 West Glamorgan Gowerton   
			 West Glamorgan Neath   
			 West Glamorgan Pontardawe  closed 
			 West Glamorgan Port Talbot   
			 West Glamorgan Swansea   
			 West Glamorgan  5 4 
			 West Midlands Birmingham (Corporation St)  
			 West Midlands Birmingham (Newton Street)   
			 West Midlands Birmingham (Youth Court)   
			 West Midlands Coventry   
			 West Midlands Dudley   
			 West Midlands Halesowen   
			 West Midlands Solihull   
			 West Midlands Stourbridge   
			 West Midlands Sutton Coldfield   
			 West Midlands Walsall (Aldridge)   
			 West Midlands Walsall (Stafford Street)   
			 West Midlands Warley   
			 West Midlands West Bromwich   
			 West Midlands Wolverhampton   
			 West Midlands  14 14 
			 West Riding Bingley   
			 West Riding Bradford   
			 West Riding Castleford   
			 West Riding Dewsbury   
			 West Riding Huddersfield   
			 West Riding Keighley  closed 
			 West Riding Pontefract   
			 West Riding Wakefield   
			 West Riding  8 7 
			 West Sussex Arundel   
			 West Sussex Chichester   
			 West Sussex Crawley   
			 West Sussex Haywards Heath   
			 West Sussex Horsham   
			 West Sussex Worthing   
			 West Sussex  6 6 
			 Wiltshire Chippenham (Market Place)  closed 
			 Wiltshire Chippenham (Pewsham Way) not yet open  
			 Wiltshire Devizes   
			 Wiltshire Salisbury   
			 Wiltshire Swindon   
			 Wiltshire Trowbridge   
			 Wiltshire Wootton Bassett  closed 
			 Wiltshire  6 5 
			   
			 Grand Total  514* 428 
		
	
	* This corrects the number shown in an earlier answer to the noble Lord on 6 March 2000, Official Report (WA 129).

Magistrates' Courts

Lord Marlesford: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	When government guidance was last issued to Magistrates' Courts Committees on the criteria they should use in determining the number and location of magistrates' courts in their areas; and whether they will put a copy of such guidance in the Library of the House.

Lord Bach: The Government does not issue such guidance.
	The only guidance of this kind is issued by the Central Council of Magistrates' Courts Committees. Last month, the Central Council published its revised edition of the 'Good Practice Guide on Courthouse Closure', which both Ministers and Her Majesty's Magistrates' Courts Service Inspectorate endorse.
	Copies of this guidance have been placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

Magistrates' Courts

Lord Marlesford: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Who is entitled to appeal to the Lord Chancellor against the closure of magistrates' courts; and whether they will list all such appeals made since the coming into force of the Justices of the Peace Act 1997 indicating the result of the appeal in each case.

Lord Bach: Under Section 56(3) of the Justices of the Peace Act 1997, any paying authority (local authority that contributes financially) that is aggrieved by the determination of a Magistrates' Courts Committee to close a courthouse has the right to appeal to the Lord Chancellor within one month of receipt of written notification of the determination.
	A list of appeals made since June 1997 when the Justices of the Peace Act 1997 came into force, is set out in the table.
	
		
			 Name MCC Name of Courthouse Decision Made Date of Decision 
			 Staffordshire Kidsgrove, Biddulph & Cheadle Dismissed July 1997 
			 North Wales Bleanau Ffestiniog and Llangollen Dismissed July 1997 
			 West Glamorgan Pontedawe Dismissed October 1997 
			 Hereford & Worcester Evesham, Bromsgrove, Ledbury Dismissed; Evesham retained October 1997 
			 Gwent Bargoed, Chepstow, Monmouth, Pontlottyn, Pontypool Dismissed; Chepstow retained December 1997 
			 North Yorkshire Malton (Norton), Stokesley Dismissed December 1997 
			 Hertfordshire Hitchin, Hatfield, Bishop's Stortford Dismissed March 1998 
			 Essex Braintree, Clacton, Saffron Walden Dismissed June 1998 
			 North Yorkshire Ripon Dismissed June 1998 
			 North Wales Corwen Dismissed August 1998 
			 Suffolk Felixstowe, Stowmarket, Haverhill, Saxmundham, Newmarket Dismissed August 1998 
			 Leeds Morley, Pudsey, Wetherby Dismissed; Wetherby retained October 1998 
			 Derbyshire Ashbourne, Bakewell, Matlock, Swadlincote & New court at Chesterfield (7 courtrooms) New court at Derby (11 courtrooms) Dismissed November 1998 
			 Berkshire & Oxfordshire Abingdon, Henley, Windsor Dismissed December 1998 
			 Cambridgeshire March Dismissed December 1998 
			 North Wales Holyhead, Mold, Prestatyn (Offices) Dismissed February 1999 
			 Devon & Cornwall (shadow) location of court office: Derriford, Devon Allowed February 1999 
			 Bedfordshire Ampthill; Biggleswade; Dunstable, Leighton Buzzard Dismissed April 1999 
			 Gloucestershire Stow-on-the-Wold Dismissed May 1999 
			 West Riding Keighley Dismissed February 2000 
			 Cumbria Appleby, Keswick, Wigton, Windermere Dismissed 26.2.00 
			 Staffordshire Lichfield, Wombourne (Seisdon) Dismissed Allowed 3.4.00 
			 Kent Gravesend Dismissed 8.05.00 
			 Wiltshire Wootton Bassett Dismissed 04.07.00 
			 North & West Greater Mancheser Middleton, Leigh Dismissed 20.12.00 
			 Cheshire Patten Hall Withdrawn

Munchausen's Syndrome by Proxy: Methods of Identification

The Countess of Mar: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Further to the Written Answer by the Lord Hunt of Kings Heath on 22 November (WA 84), whether they will name the chairman and external members of the steering group.

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: In my reply to your previous Question about membership of the group on 22 November 2000 (WA 84), I explained that the external members included representatives from a wide range of professional bodies.
	The group is chaired by Mr Bruce Clark, a senior official from the Department of Health. The individual external members of the group, together with the professional associations on whose behalf they are participating, include:
	Dr G Adshead--Royal College of Psychiatry
	Ms I Charles-Edwards--English National Board of Nursing, Midwifery and Health Visiting
	Mr J Fox--Association of Chief Police Officers
	Ms S Hensman--Royal College of Nursing
	Ms D Kinnair--Community Practitioner and Health Visitors Association
	Ms S Smallman--United Kingdom Central Council for Nursing, Midwifery and Health Visiting
	Dr D Sowden--Royal College of General Practitioners
	Mr A Webb--Association of Directors of Social Services
	These representatives are assisting the department in drafting guidance on induced or fabricated illness in children, which will be issued for public consultation shortly.

Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission

Lord Laird: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What they understand to be the religious and political affiliations of the current members of the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission.

Lord Falconer of Thoroton: It is not government practice to disclose personal details of individuals.